Endorsements: Alicia Edwards offers voice for all in District 3

In all three county commission races, both sides have portrayed this election as an opportunity to either endorse the longtime direction of county government or make a change — a “wave of change,” as one candidate famously put it in a widely-circulated video clip.

This choice is perhaps most clear in the District 3 race, where longtime community nonprofit administrator Alicia Edwards, a Democrat, is facing off against former com- mission chair — and former Democrat — Henry Torres, who is running this time as a Republican.

Torres’s previous service at the county began during one of the most difficult periods in Grant County history, as part of a new commission that was faced with a million-dollar budget shortfall created, in large part, by reckless overspending on the renovation of a former Pay- less Drug store into the current Grant County Administration Building. He rallied the other commissioners and a new county manager to fill the hole, doing what needed to be done to avert a state takeover of county operations.

We like and admire Torres, but no matter how distinguished his previous term on the commission may have been, the clear theme at all levels in this year’s election is change — and in the County Commission District 3 race, the clear choice for voters seeking change is Alicia Edwards.

Edwards is a newcomer to county politics, but not to the Grant County community. In her 12 years here, she has made an outsized mark through her work as the long- time executive director of The Volunteer Center. Under her leadership, the organization grew and developed

with a particular focus on alleviating hunger and build- ing food security for area residents. Among her many successes are the center’s new home, The Commons, and the backpack program which fills backpacks with food for low-income children who qualify for free lunches at school — ensuring that these kids also have enough to eat on weekends outside of school

She has served on food policy councils at the local and regional levels, been an active member of the Community Health Council and a was a founding advisory board member of the Grant County Community Foundation.

Of the three progressive candidates who swept the Democratic primaries in June, we believe Edwards to be the most qualified and compelling. While she has not previously served in elected office, she has demonstrated an extensive knowledge of how government works — and how to leverage existing government resources to get more accomplished.

We believe that Edwards would listen to and work for everyone in the county — but would be a particularly effective voice for those on the margins, including our children and senior citizens. Her emphasis on broad- based, small-scale economic development is essential to a prosperous future for our county, and we especially agree with her focus on development of quality living-wage jobs created by locally-owned businesses.

The Daily Press endorses Alicia Edwards for Grant County Commission, District 3.